Saw chain

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11628509-B2
Application number	US-202117308606-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 5, 2021
Priority date	May 5, 2020
Publication date	Apr 18, 2023
Grant date	Apr 18, 2023

Abstract

A saw chain includes connecting links and drive links that are mutually connected by rivets in an articulated manner about rivet axes. The rivets project through at least one rivet opening of one connecting link and through a rivet opening of a drive link. At least one rivet has, on one end face thereof, a depression having a depression edge and a depression base surrounded by the depression edge. The distance of the depression edge from a central plane of the saw chain increases at an increasing radial distance from the rivet axis. The distance (e) of the base from the central plane does not increase at any point of the base at an increasing radial distance from the rivet axis. A greatest distance (a) of the base from the rivet axis corresponds to 50% to 100% of half the core diameter (d) of the rivet.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A saw chain defining a center plane and comprising:
a plurality of connecting links and a plurality of drive links arranged between mutually adjacent ones of said connecting links;
a plurality of rivets defining respective rivet axes;
said plurality of rivets connecting said plurality of connecting links and said plurality of drive links in an articulated manner about said rivet axes;
each of said plurality of connecting links and each of said plurality of drive links having rivet openings;
said plurality of rivets projecting through corresponding ones of said rivet openings of corresponding ones of said plurality of connecting links and through corresponding ones of said rivet openings of said plurality of drive links;
said center plane running perpendicularly to said rivet axes and centrally through said plurality of drive links;
selected ones of said plurality of connecting links being configured as cutting links with said cutting links having respective cutting sections;
said plurality of rivets each having end faces defining an end face plane and a core diameter (d);
at least one of said plurality of rivets having a depression formed in at least one of the end faces thereof;
said depression having a depression edge at a distance (q) from said center plane;
said distance (q) increasing with an increasing radial distance from the rivet axis;
said depression having a depression base surrounded by said depression edge;
said depression base being at a distance (e) from said center plane with said distance (e) not increasing at any point of said depression base with an increasing radial distance from the rivet axis;
said depression base having a central portion curved convexly when viewed along the rivet axis toward said outer end face of the rivet;
said depression base having a greatest distance (a) to the rivet axis lying in a range of 30% to 100% of half of said core diameter (d) of the rivet;
at least one end face of at least one of said plurality of rivets being formed on a rivet head having an enlarged outer diameter (b);
said rivet head projecting over an outer surface of the corresponding one of said plurality of connecting links associated therewith; and,
the ratio of half said enlarged outer diameter (b) of said rivet head to the greatest distance (a) of said depression base from said rivet axis being 1.5 to 3.5.

2. The saw chain of claim 1 , wherein said greatest distance (a) of said depression base lies in a range of 30% to 80% of half of said core diameter (d) of the rivet.

3. The saw chain of claim 1 , wherein a greatest distance (c) of said depression to the rivet axis corresponds to at least 110% of said greatest distance (a) of said depression base to the rivet axis.

4. The saw chain of claim 1 , wherein said depression has a depth (f) measured parallel to the rivet axis which is less than said greatest distance (a) of said depression base from the rivet axis.

5. The saw chain of claim 4 , wherein said depth (f) is less than 40% of said greatest distance (a).

6. The saw chain of claim 4 , wherein said depth (f) is less than 30% of said greatest distance (a).

7. The saw chain of claim 1 , wherein the connecting link has a chamfer formed at the rivet opening thereof; and, the chamfer has a depth (k) which is at most 30% of the thickness of the connecting link.

8. The saw chain of claim 7 , wherein said depth (k) is at most 20% of the thickness of the connecting link.

9. The saw chain of claim 1 , wherein said one of said plurality of rivets has a collar arranged in the rivet opening of the drive link without projecting into the rivet opening of the plurality of connecting links.

10. A saw chain defining a center plane and comprising:
a plurality of connecting links and a plurality of drive links arranged between mutually adjacent ones of said connecting links;
a plurality of rivets defining respective rivet axes;
said plurality of rivets connecting said plurality of connecting links and said plurality of drive links in an articulated manner about said rivet axes;
each of said plurality of connecting links and each of said plurality of drive links having rivet openings;
said plurality of rivets projecting through corresponding ones of said rivet openings of corresponding ones of said plurality of connecting links and through corresponding ones of said rivet openings of said plurality of drive links;
said center plane running perpendicularly to said rivet axes and centrally through said plurality of drive links;
selected ones of said plurality of connecting links being configured as cutting links with said cutting links having respective cutting sections;
said plurality of rivets each having a core diameter (d) and an outer end face defining an end face plane;
at least one of said plurality of rivets having a depression formed in at least one of the end faces thereof;
said depression having a depression edge at a distance (q) from said center plane;
said distance (q) increasing with an increasing radial distance from the rivet axis;
said depression having a depression base surrounded by said depression edge;
said depression base being at a distance (e) from said center plane with said distance (e) not increasing at any point of said depression base with an increasing radial distance from the rivet axis;
said depression base having a greatest distance (a) to the rivet axis lying in a range of 30% to 100% of half of said core diameter (d) of the rivet; and,
said depression base having a central portion curved convexly when viewed along the rivet axis toward said outer end face of the rivet.

11. A saw chain defining a center plane and comprising:
a plurality of connecting links and a plurality of drive links arranged between mutually adjacent ones of said connecting links;
a plurality of rivets defining respective rivet axes;
said plurality of rivets connecting said plurality of connecting links and said plurality of drive links in an articulated manner about said rivet axes;
each of said plurality of connecting links and each of said plurality of drive links having rivet openings;
said plurality of rivets projecting through corresponding ones of said rivet openings of corresponding ones of said plurality of connecting links and through corresponding ones of said rivet openings of said plurality of drive links;
said center plane running perpendicularly to said rivet axes and centrally through said plurality of drive links;
selected ones of said plurality of connecting links being configured as cutting links with said cutting links having respective cutting sections;
said plurality of rivets each having end faces defining an end face plane and a core diameter (d);
at least one of said plurality of rivets having a depression formed in at least one of the end faces thereof;
said depression having a depression edge at a distance (q) from said center plane;
said distance (q) increasing with an increasing radial distance from the rivet axis;
said depression having a depression base surrounded by said depression edge;
said depression base being at a distance (e) from said center plane with said distance (e) not increasing at any point of said depression base with an increasing radial distance from the rivet axis;
said depression base having a greatest distance (a) to the rivet axis lying in a range of 30% to 100% of half of said core diameter (d) of the rivet;
wherein said depression base has a depth (f) measured from said end face plane and parallel to the rivet axis;
wherein said rivet head has an elevation (h) measured from an outer surface of the connecting link associated therewith and in the direction o

Assignees

• Stihl Ag & Co Kg Andreas

Inventors

• Maier Georg
• Frei Thomas
• Lux Thomas

Classifications

• B27B17/00 Primary

  Chain saws; Equipment therefor {(slotting or mortising machines equipped with chain cutters B27F5/06)} · CPC title

• B23D61/18

  Sawing tools of special type, e.g. wire saw strands, saw blades or saw wire equipped with diamonds or other abrasive particles in selected individual positions {(cut-off wheels of bonded abrasive or with inserted abrasive blocks B24D5/12)} · CPC title

• B28D1/082

  consisting of chain saws · CPC title

• B27B33/142

  Cutter elements · CPC title

• B27B33/14 Primary

  Saw chains {(saw chains for slotting or mortising devices B27F5/08)} · CPC title